Viewpoint: Marijuana, Market Forces and Why Colorado’s New Pot Law Could Actually Be a Black-Market Boon

If only Colorado-grown marijuana is deemed legal, and the new statute limits residents to six plants for personal use, could there be a critical gap in the supply chain that the black market will rush to satisfy?

“What’s the price of an ounce of marijuana in Colorado these days?” I e-mailed a friend who I thought might know. The reply: for the top quality stuff, about as much as a share of Apple stock. Apple shares were going for $528 recently, which raises an interesting arbitrage possibility: What’s your guess about the price of Apple and pot a year from now, when Colorado’s legalization of personal pot possession establishes a legitimate commercial market for weed?

My play would be to go long on Apple and short hemp.

Colorado has made the possession of marijuana legal but hasn’t figured out much else. Looking at it from a classical economics perspective, the legitimization of marijuana raises the issue of what happens to the demand, quality, supply and price of a product that has now become legal after decades underground.

Logic tells you that if the state legalizes what was once contraband, demand should increase. But with demand set to rise, where will the supply come from? If only Colorado-grown marijuana is legal, and the new statute limits residents to six plants for personal use, could there be a critical gap in the supply chain? “If it’s as popular as all the proponents suggest, we won’t have enough local growers to meet demand once it becomes legal,” says Mac Clouse, finance professor at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business.

Colorado’s law enforcers will have to make some choices: Do they try to interdict supplies from beyond Colorado even though its citizens are essentially requesting it? Or does Colorado allow farmers to grow it in the state — a cash crop if ever there was one. It would seem stupid for the state to sanction possession but not supply, since drug runners from Northern California to Mexico will be lining up to supply the Colorado market.

That’s one reason the price of marijuana is likely to go down. Another is that as new retail entrants fight for market share, they will do so using price as a tool — unless the state sets and fixes the price, or arbitrarily limits the number of distributors, just as it does with, say, liquor stores. But Colorado allows beer sales in lots of places too. “Is it really like alcohol? In this state we have private liquor stores and beer in grocery stores,” says Clouse. “Does that mean you sell [marijuana] in grocery stores?” Hmm, the produce aisle? Next to the rosemary and basil? Again, if the number of authorized outlets isn’t sufficient for the market, the underground distribution network will expand to fill that demand.

Another by-product of the new law: better quality. The anecdotal evidence since Colorado legalized medicinal marijuana a couple of years ago is that the quality of the product has improved. In an openly competitive market, entrepreneurs have invested in R&D to develop a whole variety of marijuana-based foods, beverages and supplements in addition to widening the selection of marijuana itself. But here’s another thing that’s happened: the quality of the illegal stuff has improved too, which could indicate that contraband sellers have been feeling the pressure to improve. No more street skunk weed.

Just as Colorado does with other vices, such as liquor and tobacco, the state aspires to generate tax revenue from pot sales. But if the cost burden on legit distributors gets too steep, Colorado will instead create an expanded class of bootleggers. For instance, medical marijuana sells at a premium over the street variety because people are willing to pay a premium to eliminate the risk of getting arrested. But after the law takes effect, if the premium between state-approved pot and street pot gets too steep, consumers will be more willing to go for the contraband goods, since perceived risks will be lower.

By the same toke(n) it’s also possible that the retail market could segment: discount dealers on one end and truly high-end retailers on the other. Picture boutique pot shops in the posh resort town of Aspen, which the locals have already dubbed Aspendam after the free-smoking Dutch city of Amsterdam. (Then again, some skiers and riders at mountain resorts will likely be surprised to discover that possession was ever illegal.) One big unresolved issue is that Colorado’s new law contradicts federal law, which will still classify marijuana as a controlled substance, illegal possession and distribution of which carries jail terms.

There are other, unintended benefits and consequences to consider. There doesn’t seem to be anything in the law that would prohibit pot dealers from advertising their wares like any other business. Or, say, sellers of certain snack foods making marijuana tie-ins. It could make for some lively websites and billboards.

On a much larger scale, will legalization help Colorado’s tourism business by attracting tokers who might otherwise ski, hike or fish in Vermont or Utah? Resort towns in Utah have struggled for years to pry apart the state’s very tight liquor laws to allow tourists to imbibe without a veritable license. (No happy hours. No discounts. No fooling.) Although alcohol is available in Park City, Utah, for instance, no one has ever accused it of being a party town. Tourists in Colorado would be free to do bong hits in their slope-side condos — and they wouldn’t have to risk carrying pot across state borders. “It’s a convenience thing,” says Clouse. “It could make some pretty good business [at the resorts], which does help the economy a little bit. Buying here instead of someplace else.” Feel free to insert your “Rocky Mountain High” joke here.

If you read the constitution you will see that the Federal Government does not have the authority to tell any state what they can or cannot do. It spells out clearly the roll of the fed govt and all else is left to the states.

The feds just took it upon themselves, bullied their way in and so far states have been reluctant to resist.

This point is not even arguable. Read the constitution, it's worth your time.

Cannabinoids as Antioxidants and Neuroprotectants ... marijuana prohibition is ultimately in the public interest is unconvincing at best. ...but that's what government thinks.Government doesn't deserve to profit from something it has kept off the shelves ....limmiting people's holding capacity is not the solution coz it will coz more of damage.

Well......now that the recreational pot shops have opened in Colorado....The price is 60 an 1/8th in most places (based on my research). Medical is much cheaper at 20 an 1/8th. So how does a price jump 200% if the tax is only 15% + 10% + 8% (Denver Sales)= 33%? This simple math tells me that there certainly is going to be a huge boon for the black market, as it is now dealing in the higher end strains at a price much cheaper than the quasi-legal dispensaries are charging in order to "compete." Of course, there is a huge demand right now as demonstrated by the long lines on Jan 1, and supplies are limited in the "legal" trade, but this smacks as price gouging to me and a consumer will likely find greener pastures elsewhere, where less green (cash) is needed. In time, it is certain the current prices will come down as the market stabilizes, but no matter how cheap the quasi-legal trade becomes, the black market will always be cheaper. The monster created by pot prohibition is well entrenched, and it is doubtful it will ever fade into obscurity or be destroyed.

It will be a boon to the black market if the grow-ops decide not to sell any. It would be a boon to my psychological state if we could stop pretending cannabis has not been around for oh, probably millions of years. If suddenly, the reigning paradigm placed the very complex burden of efficacious proof on the government versus those dastardly druggies who like to read and not feel disease.

Doctors aren't free, visits aren't free. In the medical market, you couldn't get a free lunch from a cadaver. I suppose in some bizarre place, if a lay on hands doesn't work, you get slapped in the face and told you're all better. There are always so many reasons why freedom is dangerous as long as you have it. People say, I wish I could take away your pain. Well, bless your heart. How about you let me use my brain and take care of that? You can go be obsessive about a screamingly asymmetric ant hill, or something else confusing. Go be confused somewhere without a gun and the holy power of the super special law. Super special law isn't super draconian and nauseatingly corrupt. What a cutie super special law is, making us hurt.

What a moron. I shouldnt expect much else from the publication that named "illegal aliens" as the person of the year. 64 means the end of the cartels in colorado when it comes to crappy mexican weed. Its possible that colorado will export weed to other states where it is still illegal, like already happens in dry counties, where booze is illegal, but thatsnot a bad thing because it will just be replacing mexican brick weed supplied by cartels with "greymarket" weed; safe US pot supplied by normal people.

LOL who ever wrote this doesn't have a clue. I'd like the name of one dispensary that sells pot for over $500 per ounce. Fact checking is something that must be a luxury and writing any old number down because it makes your article have meaning is awesome if you are in 3rd grade writing a make believe story but you are not and this whole page is a joke.

When you start your little make believe article with a lie it's hard keep reading. Thanks for the laugh.

Time magazine you're facts are not even close! $ 528 an ounce! lmfao, you're source is full of malarkey! I live in Colorado more like $240.00 at the highest for top shelf... Great lets give the government control of everything. Stupid ass people ruined marijuana in Colorado. They will enforce pot dui's( cha ching). They will have stricter laws for out of state transporting(cha ching). People will only be allowed small quantities. Such small quantities will be allowed that it will be not cost efficient enough to produce you're own meds, forcing you to buy from a dispensary(cha ching, plus you are on record for every purchase)... People Wake the hell up every thing we enjoy is manipulated for the benefit of the governments pocketbook not for our well being! The word that needs to spread about marijuana is DECRIMINALIZATION not legalization.

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I would love to provide these farms with wind and solar power for these marijuana growing facilities World wide. Oh wait a minute, I can. :) I know of a great company for this and they have great professional references, access to investors, stock markets, turn-key " power-a-whole-city-projects" and I know that they love to horseback, ski, shoot, snowmobile, use marijuana for purposes that should only be.....no ones business like why did you just take an aspirin ( for menstrual, back, neck, head reasons)....who cares? Who's biz is it if its legally used,... where one can use it? Anyhow...I would love to provide legal grow-ops everywhere with our wind and solar projects at reduced prices and to make green energy available for use to farms everywhere who farm marijuana. It is a product with tons of health benefits, economical benefits, blah,blah,blah...our forefathers grew... and hemp was used for many things. Politicians need to get a clue. And by the way....do you know that the Federal Gov't taxes us to import wind turbines into the U.S.? And that there is no Federal Import Tax on barrels of oil from anywhere coming into the U.S.A.?

I am more than confident that the managers at the renewable energy company that I am thinking of would literally slash equipment prices in-trade for stock options / percentages of ownership in these future and current grow-ops, both private and publically-traded grow-ops.... everywhere..... worldwide.

There is already a black market for marijuana in all states, and Colorado legalizing small amounts for recreational use will not make the black market in Colorado bigger. Indeed, it will probably reduce the size of the black market in Colorado, as long as Colorado keeps the tax rate on marijuana reasonable, so it doesn't make the legal price so high that black market marijuana will still be price competitive, and also of course assuming the Feds don't come in trying to arrest every recreational marijuana user.

Oh, come on! Death and destruction, dogs eating cats, all because of demon marijuana! It's so stupid to fight marijuana; it is effective, safe, and has over a thousand years of use. Marijuana is a very healthy food if taken as an edible, not smoked. There is a great $2.99 e-book on medical marijuana: MARIJUANA - Guide to Buying, Growing, Harvesting, and Making Medical Marijuana Oil and Delicious Candies to Treat Pain and Ailments by Mary Bendis, Second Edition. This book has great recipes for easy marijuana oil, delicious Cannabis Chocolates, and tasty Dragon Teeth Mints.

An interesting issue How will Corporations segregate emploees which use the now Legal Marijuana. How they maintain Fedral compliance, so they can recieve Federal Contract's. Say XYZ Business in Colorado, employess will not be breaking State Law and some will participate in the use of Marijuan, But XYZ will be breaking Federal Compliance and Contract clauses, so how does the XYZ corporation mandate the use of marijauna is prohibite if you are employeed. How many of us would stand for being told if employeed here we can not consume Alcohol on our off hours. But yet if an employee test positive for THC, and he's known to be working or support a Federal contract here in Colorado, Bye bye Contract for XYZ.. ..

If you are seeking an opportunity to get into this industry be warned, you cannot unless you already have two years residency in Colorado. BUT, there is an exciting way for you to make some money by lending to the industry. As they said in the report there are no banks who will lend to dispensaries, no matter how much profit they generate. That's where you come in... if you can lend $5,000 to $250,000 for a short time and you want to earn an interest rate from 10% to 30% then please contact me today at: mmjviceroy at g mail.com

Then you can tell all your friends you are "in" the medical marijuana industry and more importantly you can help sick patients get access to the same high potency cannabis they purchase now for less money than they pay today.

Starting up the there will be an increase in black market sales, but that's why they need to get the legal market up in running immediately. They just need to figure out supply and demand and get people who understand how set up a good market system for marijuana. Besides this, it is a process and will have its problems and hiccups. Alcohol prohibition had these same questions, who will supply it? where will it be sold? etc... There will always be a barrier to entry and we can't afford to go about this process in a lazy, fearful, or uncertain way. State legislators have all resources to be successful with this process, they're really no excuses for failing. I live in Colorado and so far I'm seeing good action on the part of are state politicians; except Hickenlooper, I think they will get this done. I like that our amendment also says you can grow up to six plants, because that will cut down on the illegal market somewhat and help during this transition period. Also so what if there is a black market during this period, it will just be stoners selling to other stoners. I smoke weed and understand our weed culture here in Colorado. I have smoked weed from Greeley to Fort Collins to Boulder to Denver; where I live currently, and Colorado Springs and I can reassure you weed is mostly homegrown. Thanks to dispensaries and strong cannabis community here, almost no weed is ever gotten from the cartels, what they sell is junk, schwag, and dangerous. Any self respecting stoner only buys homegrown and not that you really have any other choice either. Because like I have said, I have never ran across mexican schwag, its almost like a mythical fable here. We grow ourselves, if you really understand Colorado you know they hardly have a presence in the weed market, however they control the cocaine and heroin market and that's what they really sell here; I have a friend who is a heroin addict and I've gone with him a couple times to meet up with the mexie's to get his H. Also as far as other states complaining that this will take tourism away from their states, we already do regardless haha our slopes are the best! Also I thought you guys don't want stoners coming to your states; like Utah haha. Just because you other surrounding states want to live like dinosaurs, doesn't mean Colorado has to. We are going to move ahead to the future, you can do whatever you want, but don't complain about what we want to do in our state. I don't hear states complaining about Nevada having legal gambling and prostitution??

CO and WA are both doomed if their aim was to defeat the black market,,politicians that sent 1,5 trillion dollars trying to eradicate natures drugs while allowing the pharmaceutical industry to fill our homes with deadly chemical poisons has no idea how to regulate a market that reduces prices enough that growing and selling marijuana illegally unprofitable enough to discourage it.

If you want to stop the corruption surrounding marijuana you should follow the recommendation from the senatorial study of marijuana in 1972,

Ending prohibition would greatly reduce, even almost eliminate, the market in illegal narcotics, cause a reduction in the number of users and addicts, greatly curtail drug related illness and deaths, reduce societal harm from problematic abusers, and bring about an enormous reduction in the presence and influence of organized crime. The people who use drugs are our own children, our brothers, our sisters, our parents, and our neighbors. By allowing all adults safe and controlled legal access to psychoactive substances, we will not only greatly reduce the dangers for both them and ourselves but also greatly minimize the possibility of 'peer-initiation' and sales to minors.If you sincerely believe that prohibition is a dangerous and counter-productive policy then you can stop helping to enforce it. You are entitled—required even—to act according to your conscience.* It only takes one juror to prevent a guilty verdict.* You are not lawfully required to disclose your voting intention before taking your seat on a jury.* You are also not required to give a reason to the other jurors on your position when voting. Simply state that you find the accused not guilty!* Jurors must understand that it is their opinion, their vote. If the Judge and the other jurors disapprove, too bad. There is no punishment for having a dissenting opinion.“It is not only [the juror's] right, but his duty … to find the verdict according to his own best understanding, judgment, and conscience, though in direct opposition to the direction of the court.” —John AdamsWe must create what we can no longer afford to wait for and end the most destructive, dysfunctional, dishonest and racist social policy since Slavery.PLEASE VOTE TO ACQUIT!

The price of pot has gone down since the medical shops have beenaround. In 2000 or so the street market price of an ounce was $300-$400(depending on what sort of deal you could get....black market economicsdon't allow for set prices, but I never saw it lower than $300 an ouncemyself). Now $300 an ounce is the most you'll pay at even the pricermedical pot stores, while many dispensaries sell anywhere from $160 to$250 an ounce.

Your comment "My play would be to go long Apple and short hemp" should actually read "My play would be to go long Apple and short marijuana". Hemp, although from the same family as marijuana, is a completely different plant that contains less than 1% THC and a much larger amount of the "anti-THC" chemical. Please, please, please do not draw hemp into this argument. Hemp, not marijuana, was a industrial crop grown in the USA from the colonial days until 1937, when congress outlawed it. It has thousands of uses, one of our best chances for sustainable bio-fuels after fossil fuels extinguish, and its very likely that America would not have survived as a nation without it.

So have your argument about the merits of legalizing marijuana, it really is of no concern to me. What is concerning is outlawing a plant that could save American farms, eliminate the need for foreign oil importation, and provide our nation with a very sustainable future. I would implore to research this more, come to your own conclusion, and then return here to update your article and argument. Thank you.

In washington mj was legalized for rec use. With an ounce going for about $260.00 and a tax of 25% per the 3 tiers of growing , Distribution and retail as defined in the law. It will make an ounce 507.00 with out profit in the last 2 tiers . Instead of taking money from the cartels all you have done is give them a raise

"Logic tells you that if the state legalizes what was once contraband, demand should increase. But with demand set to rise, where will the supply come from? If only Colorado-grown marijuana is legal, and the new statute limits residents to six plants for personal use, could there be a critical gap in the supply chain?"

Colorado legalized the commercial production and distribution of cannabis, there will be larger scale growers like there are now with medical marijuana so the issue of supply won't be a problem.

The price of cannabis will drop and depending on how much we tax the end product "joints could cost a few cents."

Colorado's Amendment 64 law is also better than the I-502 initiative passed in Washington, which tries to essentially establish a DUI type charge for marijuana, without any evidence that the blood THC concentration level (5%) specified in I-502 law, actually means the person is under the influence to a degree that makes it unsafe for them to drive. Because of this made up blood THC concentration limit, Washington state will be wasting time and money needlessly arresting people for marijuana DUI's, who are not actually any danger at all when driving. Hopefully after the law has been in effect a while, the Washington legislature will wise up and remove this blood THC concentration level while driving aspect from the law. In any case these new laws in Colorado and Washington are overall a good thing, which will hopefully lead to national legalization of marijuana sooner than later, and in doing so take billions of dollars of money from psycho-pathic drug cartels who just use their marijuana profits to keep up their campaigns of corruption and murder, and unlike all the other laws passed during the drug war, marijuana legalization will actually reduce murder and crime on both sides of the border.

@victor.j.0709 most likely companies will keep their same drug policies and will continue to drug test employees as they normally would. If marajuana is found in the test, they can and probably will be fired.

@JackBeaverson Dude do you grow? Because if you don't try growing six plants of medical grade pot of which only three can be flowering with only two ounces in possession and see what it gets you. I bet when you get you're electric bill or the pot that took all summer to grow freezes in one night and is ruined by mold and un smokeable you will be buying from a tax subsidized dispensary or illegal dealer. Six plants is a joke and I will be the one laughing when everyone is pissed off because logistically it is more practical to buy from another source than grow your'e own and thats not right for the government to have control of how many plants a person can have . DECRIMINALIZATION not legalization.

@JackBeaverson AMEN brother hopefully people who dont understand this get the picture when Colorado becomes the richest state with the lowest murder rate ignorant people are the ones who never tried it its like being a damn Hippocrate

It is amazing,,first the politicians create the market for marijuana by prohibiting it,,now they want to remove the market by making it cost more than it does now adding sin taxes for the people they have been imprisoning for the last 40 years to make the money back they wasted trying to fight the problem they created,,,there is a joke in there somewhere,,and it isn't that funny.

@TimWalsh That's probably because marijuana is actually illegal in the Netherlands where as here, in Colorado, it is legal. The price of marijuana has dropped from $50-$60 an 1/8th to $20 to $25 per 1/8th in two years since the state stated regulating dispensaries.

@jspittman I would argue that hemp is in fact, cannabis sativa and not "a completely different plant". In the scientific sense, it's the same plant. hemp encourages the use of strains of the plant which are bred for low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content or otherwise have the THC removed. So while I agree hemp is not what gets you high, I argue that it's the same plant.

@truthteller1 stupid government officials... how do these people make it up the ladder to where they're at. seriously how hard is it to enact some laws to get this moving so we can see how this will benefit tax growth. Im not from colorado/washington but I figure other states are watching just how much this benefits their local economies and we could possibly see even more states doing something like this in the future. By the way not a smoker or anything I just believe this will help us a lot with paying back some debt.

@AmKonDotNet, "Evidence provides no indication that decriminalization leads to a measurable increase in marijuana use."— Boston University Department of Economics"There is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in marijuana use."— National Academy of Sciences"The preponderance of the evidence which we have gathered and examined points to the conclusion that decriminalization has had virtually no effect either on the marijuana use or on related attitudes and beliefs about marijuana use among American young people."— The University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research"The Dutch experience, together with those of a few other countries with more modest policy changes, provides a moderately good empirical case that removal of criminal prohibitions on cannabis possession (decriminalization) will not increase the prevalence of marijuana or any other illicit drug; the argument for decriminalization is thus strong."— British Journal of Psychiatry

@AmKonDotNet "Logic tells you that [...] demand should increase". Yes but studies show that legalization actually leads to less demand. See Amsterdam and Portugal. And if people can grow 6 plants, that's more than enough for casual users. This will lead to a surplus and a glut in the market in my opinion.

@endthedrugwar They are going to regulate marijuana like alcohol in Colorado. They have stated there will be a dui's enforced if pulled over and blood tested with 5 nano grams in the blood stream . I think this could be fought due to the fact that there is in subsequent evidence that supports how many nano grams in the blood stream could effect each person differently due to tolerance..... The law is not good! Have you ever grown medical pot! It is not as easy as everyone thinks( it's a weed it will grow anywhere in any condition..WRONG). In order to comply with the current law you would pay more in electric or the need the perfect climate and altitude to produce you're medicine which will take experience, knowledge,time, and more money than the pot is worth..... After the headache of trying to grow three plants that will only produce two ounces and waiting three months to get you're meds. You will see that it is easier to buy it legally from a dispensary. I am a medical patient and I know the laws! All so the government can control where you buy you're weed for documentation the and insure the most taxes are being made. This is going to fuel a fire that is going to shatter all thoughts of a government trying to control marijuana. Here is why..... People are going to grow more than three plants and more than two ounces because logistically it is unreasonable to grow an amount that cost more to produce than it's worth( trail and error people will find out the hard way!). Beside who wants to give money to a dispensary or dealer for weed when they can grow it . I see Colorado and Washington for being huge illegal pot producing hubs for the entire U.S.A There is no stopping this freight train! The government is about to find out just how much and how many people in Colorado and the rest of the United States like their weed. They don't stand a chance against the black market as long as it is legal and not DECRIMINALIZED. There are 48 other states that are against weed. Legalization does not mean decriminalization. Legalization means even more laws to prosecute even more users. Let any one of age(18 up) grow any amount and the drug war would be over it is that simple!!!!! They make too much money fighting pot to let everyone have it. As long as there are laws against weed there will be a black market. As far as mexico weed and the cartels lmao, that weed sucks we don't want that stuff anyway( moldy brick weed) ..... But food for thought, they are not bringing it across the border they are already here growing on national forest. Proof is 14,500 plants seized on colorado forest service and that is just one grow found.

@jstotler@victor.j.0709 Doctor patient confidentiality and it's not hard to pass a drug test! I can clean out in two weeks tops and drove for the U.S.P.S with a medical marijuana license. Funny thing is I learned the most difficult/ largest route ( 600 people in a day)and after time could beat every one back to the post office . Who says stoners are not efficient and dumb? After all, I am a stoner and schooling all these people including the editor. Law suits may become common practice if companies were to fire the wrong people for hot tests. Cancer patients need jobs too! Corporations do what they want anyway with little repercussion so I agree not much will change in the form of drug policies with companies, except they may not want to pay to test for a drug that is socially acceptable, legal, and widely used.

@wolfesnack@JackBeaverson six plants is not a joke that would supply enough weed to last all year long if you do it right and nevermind growing indoors you can grow outside, you could get 12 plants by the end of summer, that would be plenty of weed at least for me, also i've looked into hydroponics i got it all planned out if i need to grow indoors but ill be growing outdoor this summer, and yes you can grow high grade medical weed outdoors too

Brother, you were on the right track until you started with that Mexican brick weed nonsense. The "moldy" weed you have seen was more than likely grown in your backyard! Good and bad marijuana can and does grow everywhere. How and why would "cartels" spend their transportation money to get "moldy weed" across the border just so it will get sold for a dollar an ounce? You need to take a class in economics and also need spellcheck "lmao". Your mind would be blown if you seem the good quality product from Mexico. You probably have seen it but you ignorance led you to believe that it was grown in California. For the most part I agree with you and you have the right idea but please know what you're talking about before you talk about it.

@JackBeaverson@wolfesnack You can plan on one hundred dollars per thousand watts/month indoor including fans and all. If you you want to grow grade A stuff you can buy for $ 25-40 1/8. You are going to need at least one thousand watts hps. Multiply that by veg time and flower time and you probably are some where around three or four months. Four months x one hundred dollars =$400.00 not to mention the seeds /clone cost,the soil, bucket system,nutrients ph meters and so on and so on. Obviously you are inexperienced in understanding amendment 64 or Medical marijuana laws. I doubt you understand what it requires to grow legal marijuana in general or we would not be having this conversation. I will laugh my ass off when people find out it would take them $1000. 00 to grow 2 ounces legally....... You know what no one will obey the plant count legally thus opening the biggest black market in history with Washington and Colorado at the hub! Who do you think you are foolin'? I have been legal for years and know how the system works.

@JackBeaverson@wolfesnackSix plants is a joke legally speaking. Have fun! You just told the whole world you're plan to be a criminal because I f' ing guarantee you will have more than two ounces from three plants, especially out doors! Have you grown out doors? One harvest in the summer because of a short summer growing season here unless you are knowledgeable and experienced in light depletion techniques.. hint hint. Fall can come quick and a one night freeze to the plants you worked all summer growing and they will be ruined. Unless you are an experienced grower in colorado get ready to battle botrytis and cold weather it's not that easy. It can be expensive to grow even outdoors... I suggest stay away from the snake oil.

DECRIMINALIZATION NOT LEGALIZATION!!!!!!! Want the government to save money? Stop them from building things that kill people and that they cannot afford to build!!! How many plants a person can grow is not up to any one to decide especially our dumb ass government.

@JackBeaverson@wolfesnack The problem is that legally you can only posses two ounces and thats it ! Any more and you are breaking the law. I read the laws do you? I have had a red card for several years. I was born, raised, and have never moved out of Colorado.

@TimWalsh@Hemporer California's model is broken. Colorado's is not. And no, Colorado voted to legalize marijuana... regardless of what people in Washington DC might think marijuana will be legal in Colorado as soon as the governor certifies the election.